Wednesday, October 31, 2012

DARKE COUNTY- The Darke County Community Improvement Corporation (CIC), the governing board of the county's Partnering for Progress (P4P) initiative, has announced the addition of five new seats on the board and several other recent personnel changes. According to officials, the changes are designed to better enable P4P, the county's collaborative economic development effort, to tackle the recently-launched workforce development initiative by adding more manufacturers, HR personnel, and educators. The additions follow a summer of re-organization for the CIC, all aimed at better preparing the group to follow through on the goals of the P4P program.

"The restructuring has resulted in both internal changes to the way the board operates and in a new committee structure", remarked Jim Poeppelman, CIC President. "Along with the recent personnel changes, there's no doubt that the committee is now even better positioned to tackle the programs and initiatives of the partnership."

Among the recent changes are the addition of three representatives from the manufacturing sector- Sue Hulsmeyer (Midmark), Teresa Amburgey (GTI), and Larry Holmes (Ft. Recovery Industries). Also added were Tony Thomas, Superintendent of Tri-Village Schools, and Todd Durham of Second National Bank. The additions swell the county wide board to 24 seats. According to Darke County Economic Development Director Marc Saluk, the additions positively impact the running of his office.

Guest posts are welcome and encouraged. If you have something to say and are able to do it in a respectful, reasonable way, send your piece to darkejournal@gmail.com. The contents of guest posts do not necessarily reflect the opinions of DarkeJournal.com.

I read with interest Mr. Vic Bothast’s editorial [DJ Note: Mr. Stegall is referring to an editorial published elsewhere.] on the federal government’s role in Healthcare. He stated that the government was to provide health care to its citizens because of the “general welfare” clause in the Preamble to the Constitution. He could not be more wrong!

The “general welfare” clause is mentioned twice in the Constitution, once in the preamble, and once in Article 1, Section 8. This section of the Constitution refers to the “general welfare” thus: “The Congress shall have the power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States…” The preamble clearly defines the 2 major functions of government: (1) ensuring justice, personal freedom, and a free society where individuals are protected from domestic lawbreakers and criminals, and (2) protecting people of the United States from foreign aggressors. When the Founding Fathers said that “WE THE PEOPLE” established the Constitution to “promote the general welfare”, they did not mean the federal government would have the power to aid education, build roads, and subsidize business. Likewise, Article 1, Section 8, did not give Congress the right to use tax money for whatever social and economic programs Congress might think would be good for the “general welfare”.

James Madison stated that the “general welfare” clause was not intended to give Congress an open hand “to exercise every power which may be alleged to be necessary for the common defense or general welfare.” If by the “general welfare” the Founding Fathers had meant any and all social, economic, or educational programs Congress wanted to create, there would have been no reason to list specific powers of Congress such as establishing courts and maintaining armed forces. Those powers would simply have been included in one all–encompassing phrase, to promote the “general welfare.”

The Versailles Area Historical Society is always working on improving our displays and new ones as well. While we do consider permanent gifts for our collection, with limited storage, we are also happy to accept items on loan as well.

Below you will find some things we are looking for that you might have.

We are currently looking for a 1950’s china cabinet, and simple accessories that might be found in a 1950’s living room. We are also looking for a variety of old Christmas decorations and photos from around the area to feature in a display about a “Hometown Christmas”.

In order to recreate “Toy Land” from Martin’s Department Store, we are in need of original 1940’s through 1970’s toys on loan to the museum. We are also looking for Christmas cards/letters/ or samples of what you might have mailed to our troops over the years during this season to add to our “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” display for our awesome military room.

We are looking for artifacts from the former Buckeye Overhaul Company. We are especially looking for items that were made or used to make their products.

Anyone with pictures of reconstruction following the town fire of 1901 or documents, journals, or diary entries that reference the fire are needed for coping. We are especially looking for family stories and items from this tragedy to place on loan.

We are hoping for items from sports and band through the years, especially the early years of football and basketball as well as early marching band years. Also memorabilia from our baseball history is needed.

While we are planning ahead we are beginning our search for Poultry Days costumes worn by Miss Chick contestants as well as Little Miss Chick outfits for that spring display.

You may contact Deb Pohl at 423-1106 or Jim Kelch at 467-1585 if you have items to share. We want to begin these changes on November 5th.

The Darke County United Way is proud to have great partners in the community to help with mailings for the current campaign, which makes up about 25% of campaign donations. This year many businesses are helping the United Way stretch allocation dollars with mailing sponsorships that allow more dollars to go to programs for the community. The United Way sends a special thank you to the Law Offices of Scott D. Rudnick, Romer’s Catering, Heartland of Greenville, and State of the Heart Hospice for their generous support of the United Way mailing campaign. Darke County residents, United Way would also like to thank you for your donation and truly making a difference in many lives in Darke County. If you would still like to donate, please send donations to Darke County United Way, PO Box 716, Greenville, OH 45331. The United Way is working towards a goal of $360,000 for the 2013 campaign to support 27 local non-profit programs.

The Darke County United Way programs served over 19,000 residents last year with education, health and income stability programs. United Way Education partners include Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Shelby & Darke Counties, Boys & Girls Club of Greenville, Council on Rural Services – Gateway Youth Programs & ACES (Achievement Center for Educational Success), Darke County 4-H Extension Services, Miami Valley Boy Scouts Council, Dolly Parton Imagination Library, & Stuff a Bus. United Way Stability programs include American Red Cross – Darke County Chapter, Community Action Partnership – Emergency Homeless Shelter & Supportive Housing, Community Unity, Darke County Recovery Services, Darke County YMCA Financial Assistance, FAME (Financial Assistance for Medical Emergencies), Grace Resurrection Community Center, & Bridge the Gap. United Way Health programs include Cancer Association of Darke County, Catholic Social Services – Family and Individual Counseling and Senior Assisted Living, Community Action Partnership – Meals for the Elderly and Senior Assistance Programs, Community Services for Deaf, Council on Rural Services – HandsOn West Central Ohio Volunteer Program, Rehabilitation Center for Neurological Development, SafeHaven, Inc., State of Heart Hospice Bereavement Programs, & Familywize Discount Prescription Drug Program. This campaign is truly a community campaign of neighbors giving to help their fellow neighbors in need.

Last year this community supported 26 family fire victims, 97 in cancer support groups, 3,413 clothing bank visits, 1,618 safe shelter nights, 3,005 children providing them better educational and mentor opportunities, and these are just a few of the ways donors make a difference in Darke County through United Way. Please visit www.darkecountyunitedway.org to learn more.

The Women’s Ministry of EUM Church is hosting their annual Holiday Boutique on Saturday, November 10 from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm at the EUM Worship Center located at 1451 Sater Street in Greenville, Ohio. This unique experience allows women of all ages to find their favorite home-based businesses in one arena. Representatives will have items for sale from companies such as Thirty-One, Pampered Chef, Lia Sophia Jewelry and many, many more. Also available will be home-baked goods, craft items and even the opportunity to have a massage.

Plan to get some friends together to come and enjoy shopping, lunch and relaxation in our unique, festive holiday atmosphere.

This event is made possible by women for women. In keeping with this theme, we are asking all attendees to bring an item to be donated to the Pregnancy Help Center, such as diapers, formula or baby food.

The Holiday Boutique is a ministry of EUM Church. Our worship services are Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday at 8:15, 9:45, and 11:15 a.m. at our Worship Center located at 1451 Sater Street (corner of Sater and Sebring-Warner Road) in Greenville, OH. The Downtown Campus, 111 Devor Street, houses our offices and preschool. For more information, go to www.eumchurch.org or call 548-3211.

The drought this year has left most livestock producers with very short forage supplies, so many are cutting hay fields this autumn regardless of the calendar or weather forecast. Hay harvesting across Darke County the past three weeks has led to questions about management guidelines and the impact of late cutting or grazing on forage grass and legume stands. The biggest management concern is with legume stands.

Rory Lewandowski and Mark Sulc, OSU Extension, shared in this week’s C.O.R.N. newsletter that when significant regrowth occurs after a fall cutting of tall legumes (alfalfa, red clover, birdsfoot trefoil), energy reserves in the roots and crowns will be depleted and there may not be sufficient time for their replenishment before a killing frost. This is often the case with cuttings made the first 10 to 12 days in October. Fall cutting dates that allow only a short regrowth period will leave the plant in a lower energy status going into the winter. Energy reserves are important for winter survival and regrowth early next spring. This is why OSU Extension recommends the last cutting be taken early enough (early September) to allow at least 6 weeks of fall regrowth so energy reserves can be built up to a high level going into the winter. An alternative is to delay fall cutting until a time when regrowth will no longer occur, although this is not recommended on heavier soils. The best way to ensure no fall regrowth is to cut after a killing frost.

A killing freeze for alfalfa or red clover is generally defined as temperatures of 24 - 25F over a period of at least 4 hours. A lesser freeze event may burn the top of the plant, but growth will still continue from the green, unburned leaf area below. However, the short day length and lower temperatures going forward from this point in time should prevent substantial regrowth from occurring. So we would expect there to be little regrowth when cutting or grazing during the last few days of October into early November, even if a killing freeze has not yet occurred.

DAYTON, Ohio – Open the all new Community Blood Center (CBC) website www.GivingBlood.org and you get what Dorothy meant when she arrived in Oz and said “Toto, I’ve a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore.”

The rejuvenated CBC public website and the new Community Blood Center/Community Tissue Services (CBC/CTS) corporate site officially launch Wednesday, Oct. 31.

By mastering the ruby slippers Dorothy learned she could have it all. She explored the magical Land of Oz, and with a click of her heels returned home to Kansas where she belonged. CBC invites all donors, partners and supporters to visit the revitalized www.GivingBlood.org, discover all that is new... and feel right at home.

The premier comes after a 10-month design, reconstruction and implementation collaboration with Openfield Creative based in Cincinnati.

“It’s exciting to bring a new world of service and communications to our donor community,” said CBC Donor Relations Director Andrew Keelor, project leader for the website redesign. “Our goal at every step was to anticipate the questions our donors and partners might ask and give them fast, accurate answers and solutions. We can’t wait to see how they will embrace the new www.GivingBlood.org.”

This coming Sunday your Versailles Area Historical Society will be open as from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

This will be your last chance to view our current display entitled, “Blessed Be the Ties That Binds” featuring numerous textiles from our area. Many of these are priceless quilts on loan to the Versailles Area Historical Society from members of our community. Also included are many other needle crafts as well as woven items. Each Sunday someone will be doing some type of wonderful needle work for you to enjoy. Also “Boo” a collection of Halloween items will be on view for the last time.

Following Sunday, we will be closed until November 25th when we reopen with our early winter displays featuring “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree… a Look Back at Christmas in the ‘50’s” a look in Martin’s Department Store’s Toy Land, plus numerous other new holiday and other interesting displays

So join us this Sunday and take the opportunity to spend a little time reminiscing with us! There will be tours available and as always there is no charge, but donations are always welcome. Come and see what everyone has been talking about!

If you have a group or a civic group who would like to book a private Holiday tour, you may contact Deb Pohl, President or Jim Kelch, trustee or by leaving a message at the museum at 526-4222 and we will get back with you.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

On Sunday November 4, we will celebrate “All Saint’s Day” The service will begin at the 10:30 a.m. (remember the clocks “fall back” one hour). All are invited to join us for worship and in reflection of those whom have gone on before us!

Pastor Bob Akins will be sharing inspiring words from God in both the children’s message and the adult sermon. We will be singing the traditional hymns, while the Trinity choir will provide special music, all to help enhance this special day of remembrance.

Following the worship, join us for Fellowship with new & old friends alike.

Christian Education will meet at 9:15 A.M. with Lutheranism 101 at 1:00 P.M. Why not come and find out what Lutherans believe for yourself. You and your family are most welcome. A reminder that our “Young Leaders” group will be meeting at 7:00 P.M. Sunday evening.

On November 11th we will honor our Veterans in a special Veteran’s Day Worship. Mark your calendar now for this event and plan to join come any Sunday where you are sure to be warmly welcomed and filled with God’s spirit as you leave!

Trinity is located at the corner of Wood and Steffin Streets in Versailles and you can find us also on the Web and Facebook.

Friends and family of Ami McClurkin recently gathered at Brethren Retirement Community to honor her birthday and celebrate a legacy of community giving.

The Ami McClurkin Community Fund of the HOPE Foundation awarded $5,500.00 to four organizations that are dedicated to enriching the lives of Darke County residents.

The 2012 recipients included Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Darke & Shelby County, which will use its grant to provide after-school mentoring to students at Woodland Heights Elementary School. The grant to Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley will help fund early childhood intervention programs. The Darke County Historical Society (Garst Museum) received a grant to purchase materials for a new exhibit on Darke County communities. Friends of Bear’s Mill will use its grant to support the Art at the Mill artist series.

Ami’s parents, Verd and Gini Stuckey of Greenville, established the fund in Ami’s honor after she was severely injured in an automobile accident in 1985. Ami currently resides at Brethren Retirement Community. Because of the family’s generosity, non-profit organizations will benefit from these grants for years to come. Any non-profit group serving Darke County is eligible for the grants. The applications are available in April each year.

As Darke County’s community foundation, the HOPE Foundation receives, manages and distributes charitable gifts for the benefit of Darke County residents. For more information, visit HOPE’s website at www.hopedarkecounty.com, or call 548-4673.

Several folks had asked what happened in New Madison that had Tri-Village temporarily locked down on Monday. Here's a statement from the New Madison Police Department on what occurred:

Tri-Village school was placed on lock down by order of the New Madison Police Department due to an attempted burglary that had taken place on North Main Street in the village.

The suspect was found inside the residence by the home owner and ran out of the residence without harming anyone or taking any property. While officers from the New Madison Police Department, Darke County Sheriff’s Office and a K9 from the Preble County Sheriff’s Office searched the village for the suspect, Tri-Village School was placed on lock down for the safety of the students and staff. After a thorough search of the village and questioning multiple persons, the search was called off and the school was released from lock down. Officers were posted at the school during dismissal and no further incident occurred.

The New Madison Police Department would like to remind everyone to please keep all homes and vehicles locked and secure, especially at night.

Through our doors you will find the career opportunity that you have been looking for!

At Heartland of Greenville, we make a difference in the lives of our patients every day. Here, you will find a rewarding and stable career that allows you to take part in the patients’ journey back home. Our goal is to get patients back to their lives and you can help us make that happen!

The 2012-2013 Greenville Youth Wrestling Program sign-ups are scheduled for this Saturday, November 3rd, in the New Gym at Greenville High School beginning at 10:00 AM. This program is for youth 5-13 years of age with practices being held at Greenville Senior High every Wednesday from 6-8 PM and Saturdays 10 AM-Noon. First practice is scheduled for Wednesday, November 14th. The fee to take part in this great program is $60 per wrestler.

The Greenville Youth Program competes annually in the Greater Miami Valley Wrestling Association.

The Darke County Park District is pleased to invite you to the opening of their newest park, Donna May Campbell Preserve. This 5-acre tract of land was generously donated by Gerald Campbell to the Park District and contains 2 trails that lead you to the Stillwater State Scenic River.

The Grand Opening will be held Saturday, November 3rd at 10:00am and will welcome local dignitaries and the general public with refreshments provided. This preserve is located in Beamsville just south of the Stillwater bridge on Greenville St. Mary’s Road in Richland Township. Darke County Park District Director, Roger Van Frank states that “This will rapidly become a favorite park for bordering groups, fisherman and wildlife enthusiasts of Richland Township.”

For more information on the Darke County Park District and the Donna May Campbell Preserve please, call the Park Office at 937.548.0165 or visit our website at www.darkecountyparks.org

WHIO's Jenna Deery visited Darke County yesterday to report on the efforts to help students at Greenville and Tri-Village High Schools deal with the loss of 3 students in an auto accident over the weekend.

Click on the image below to hear about the schools' efforts, as well as to hear from residents who knew the boys and the lasting impressions they left.

WHIO.com is reporting more sad news out of Greenville this morning. 1 person has reportedly died and two others were hospitalized due to carbon monoxide poisoning late last evening at a residence on Oak Tree Drive.

Names and details about the situation have not been released. More information will be posted as it becomes available.

Children’s Theatre Club Presents “Dinner with the Kids” on Saturday November 3rd at Montage Café. The Italian Buffet meal will begin at 6:30pm with a Broadway style concert to begin at 7:15pm. The Children will serve as waiters for the event, before performing songs from past & future productions, along with some classic Broadway and pop Songs. Tickets for the event are $13.00 for Adults and $10.00 for children 8 and under. All proceeds and tips go to fund Children’s Theatre Club’s production, Children’s Letters to God.

Children’s Theatre Club is a non-profit organization that offers theatre performance opportunities for area youth. The organization is open to children in grades kindergarten thru 12th grade. Rehearsals are underway for their current production Children’s Letters to God. This touching and sometimes funny story looks at life through the eyes of children. When this group of young people have questions they can’t answer… such as “Why did my turtle die?” ”Why do my feet stink?” or “Why does this boy not like me?” They turn to the one person who can answer their questions. Dealing in such themes as Bullying, Divorce, and Sibling Relationships, this musical offers an entertaining look at life for people of all ages. Performances for the musical will be November 16th and 17th at 7:00pm and November 18th at 3:00pm. Tickets are $5.00 with all performances taking place at 635 Wagner Ave. (between Big Lots and Goodwill).

Members are also selling pizzas to assist in raising funds for the organization, and are available in Pepperoni for $10.00 along with Deluxe and Meat Lovers for $12.00. These Italian delights can be placed in the freezer for an easy meal or a quick snack.

For more information about any of the fundraisers, tickets, productions or the organization contact Children’s Theatre Club at 937-547-3360 or at childrenstheatreclub@yahoo.com

Miami Valley Vending Service and Whirlpool Corporation teamed up for a Jim’s Hot Dog Day at the Greenville manufacturing facility to support the 27 non-profit programs of the Darke County United Way.

Delicious Jim’s hot dogs were served on all shifts with 100% of sales being donated to the United Way from Miami Valley Vending Services. Whirlpool Corporation is the largest United Way campaign for the county making up a total of 1/3 of the county’s $360,000 campaign goal. A total donation of $1,092 was raised from the Jim’s hot dog day thanks to Miami Valley Vending Service and Whirlpool Corporation. “Darke County United Way is extremely thankful to have these wonderful businesses making such a generous commitment to our community and our neighbors in need, whether it be with health, education or stability needs in Darke County,” said Lauren Henry, Executive Director at United Way. On behalf of the Darke County United Way board of directors and staff, we would like to thank Miami Valley Vending Services and Whirlpool Corporation for their partnership to support United Way and strengthen our county serving over 19,000 residents each year including our youth, seniors, those in crisis and those seeking self-sufficiency.

Miami Valley Vending Services also supports the United Way during the fall campaign with sponsorships for the Lead the Way Tractor Cruise and the Annual Golf Outing.

Another exciting HARVEST SOUNDS benefit concert will be presented at historic First Universalist Church, 331 East Washington St., New Madison, on Sunday, November 11 at 3:00 p.m. The Darke County Parks District will be this year's beneficiary, receiving 100% of the proceeds from the church's twelfth annual concert benefiting Darke County non-profit organizations.

The Darke County Parks District was created in 1972 and is celebrating 40 years of enhancing life in Darke County. The mission of the eleven parks making up the District is to provide appropriate educational and recreational programs and activities while hosting nearly 100,000 visits every year.

HARVEST SOUNDS will open the program with Shaker music by the church trio of Rev. Richard Venus playing mandolin, Lloyd Ketring at the organ, and pianist Roberta Feltman.

Featured performers for the popular and outstanding community event will be well-known and talented local musician Joseph Helfrich, and Tara Hornbacker, humorist and musician.

Tara Hornbacker is an ordained minister and Professor of Ministry, a popular vocalist, instrumentalist, speaker, humorist, ministry consultant and retreat leader. Holding a degree in speech and theater, Tara's career includes professional theater with the Chicago Repertory Theatre and various summer stock companies. For her first HARVEST SOUNDS appearance, Tara has chosen music from the Americana folk genre, Celtic and bluegrass.

Joseph Helfrich, known simply as "Joseph," is a folk singer, multi-instrumentalist and storyteller who has been performing in public for over 25 years. He has taught music at several schools, and has been a full time musician since 1992, specializing in vocals, guitar, banjo, mandolin, recorders and mountain dulcimer.
This popular and in-demand artist will be making his third appearance at a HARVEST SOUNDS concert.

A reception will follow the concert for a time to meet and mingle with the artists and audience members. Tickets remain at $8 (no charge to students through grade 12) and are available from church members, Darke County Parks Nature Center, and at the door the day of performance. For information you may call 937-548-2480.

Monday, October 29, 2012

The Darke County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the Darke County Chapter of the American Red Cross are working together on the preparations of Hurricane Sandy.

The major threat for our area is high winds. These winds are likely to cause power outages. The most important thing for Darke County residents to do is prepare. Now is a good time to test your generators or make arrangements to stay with relatives or friends that have generators.

People should listen to local radio, television, a weather channel or a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) radio for information.

Residents need to become familiar on how to shelter-in-place. Shelter-in place means to take immediate shelter where you are—at home, work, school, or in between. It is important to listen to the TV or radio to understand whether the authorities wish you to merely remain indoors or to take additional steps to protect yourself and your family.

Preparation for any type of severe weather also means having a family disaster plan and an emergency supply kit assembled and in a location that is easy to access during an emergency.

Please just remain mindful of the potential of this storm. Visit www.ready.gov, www.darkecountyema.org, www.redcross.org, or call 937-548-1444 for more information on preparing and planning for disasters.

Mia Love, featured speaker at OFRW Fall Conference.
Copyrighted photos used with permission of Ohio Federation
of Republican Women. Taken by OFRW Photographer Tammy Puff.

COLUMBUS – “What a wonderful event it was. To be able to have the honorable Mia Love as our featured speaker was fantastic. We were able to work with the Romney campaign to bring her here for our event. This also allowed her to attend other Ohio functions while she was here to speak at our event. We believed it was a win-win situation.” said Lyn Bliss, Vice-president and Program Chairlady for the Ohio Federation of Republican Women (OFRW)."It was great to have OFRW Awards Co-chair and Darke County President Sally Zeiter and OFRW Program Committee member Dori Howdieshell in attendance. It was also a pleasure to be able to ask Gail Snyder, one of our DCRW members, to share the driving for Mia while she was in Ohio for our event."

The OFRW recently held its annual Fall Conference at the Embassy Suites and Conference Center in Dublin, Ohio. The Conference theme was, “Continuing the American Dream”.

Darke County Republican Women’s Club and OFRW Program Committee member Dori Howdieshell dressed as the Statue of Liberty and led the members of the OFRW Board into the Conference. North Columbus Republican Women’s Club and OFRW member Marilyn Clark sang the National Anthem.

Scott Jennings, Ohio Director of the Romney Campaign was present and introduced the OFRW Board and Love. Love spoke to the theme and detailed how her parents had immigrated legally to the United States. They arrived in America with $10 and the desire to take advantage of the opportunities available to industrious and responsible individuals in this country. She detailed some of the challenges she has faced as mayor and talked about her campaign to be congresswoman representing Utah. Additionally, she detailed why it is important for Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan to be elected – they will continue that American dream her parents came to America to experience.

The Edison Stagelight Players will add some new twists and turns to the classic tale “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” during a two-weekend run of the play in the Robinson Theater beginning Friday Oct. 26th at 7:30 p.m.

The revised production, based on Jeffrey Hatcher’s 2008 play from famous Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel, tells the story of Dr. Henry Jekyll, who experiments with “exotic powders and tinctures” that bring forth his other self – Edward Hyde, a sensualist and villain free to commit the sins Jekyll is too civilized to comprehend.

When Hyde meets a woman who stirs his interests, Jekyll fears for her life and decides to end his experiments. Hyde has other ideas, and the two sides battle each other in a deadly game cat-an-mouse to determine who shall be the master and who his slave.

The production, directed by Edison faculty member William Loudermilk, follows past fall performances of “Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Jersey Lily” in 2011 and “Dracula” in 2010.

Additional shows will be held Oct. 27 and 28, and the following weekend on Nov. 2, 3 and 4. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Robinson Theater of Edison’s Piqua Campus. One morning performance will be held on Nov. 1, at 9:30 a.m. Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for students and $3 for seniors.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

WHIOtv.com has posted their video and summary of the three deadly crashes from Saturday. 5 lives were lost among the three accidents, bringing to the total traffic deaths in Darke County to 16 in 2012.

In honor of Veterans Day, Garst Museum in Greenville, Ohio is pleased to host a special Civil War exhibit and lecture on Saturday and Sunday, November 10 and 11, 2012. The exhibit, A Civil War Expedition: A Soldiers Life, features the comprehensive thirty-year collection of Eaton area resident Jack Barnhart. Barnhart’s collection has been featured at several National Parks, the Ohio Historical Society, and Greenfield Village at the Henry Ford Museum. The exhibit will be open to the public on Saturday, November 10, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and Sunday, November 11, 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

As a highlight of the weekend Veterans Day program, on Sunday, November 11 at 2:00 p.m., Jack Barnhart will present a lecture focusing on his Civil War collection. Mr. Barnhart will share several little known stories about the Civil War, information about the exhibit, and his personal experience in collecting Civil War artifacts.

The weekend exhibit and Sunday lecture are free to the public, however, regular admission will apply to tour the rest of the museum. The exhibit and lecture will be hosted in the Lowell Thomas Meeting room and is accessible via the rear entrance located off the main parking lot. To our honor our veterans, any veteran who brings in a photo showing them in uniform will receive free admission for themselves and their immediate family to tour the entire museum Saturday or Sunday.

Support for the Garst Lecture Series comes, in part, from Harry D. Stephens Memorial Trust, Inc.

Tri-Village Local Schools sponsored an Anti-Bullying Week from Oct. 22 – 25. To promote anti-bullying, students participated in fun dress up days to earn bookmarks, stickers, and erasers. Also, the High School Student Council, Junior High Student Council, and National Honor Society provided every student with a bracelet to show we are standing up and speaking out against bullying.

A speaker from Rachel’s Challenge spoke with the elementary, junior high, and high school. Additionally, the speaker conducted a community event to help parents combat bullying. The funding for these assemblies was provided by the Darke County Juvenile Courts.

Tri-Village would like to thank Judge Jason Aslinger for allowing us to have this opportunity.

Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney and his running mate Paul Ryan made a campaign stop in Celina this afternoon and several GOPers from Darke County made the trip. This photo (and others) can be found at http://www.barbwyre.blogspot.com/.

Did any of you attend the rally? How would you describe the experience?

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Greenville – On October 27, 2012 at approximately 5:16 p.m. Darke County Deputies, along with Tri-Village Rescue and New Madison Fire were dispatched to Byrket Rd. and Barry Dr. in reference to a single vehicle rollover accident with injuries. Initial reports advised three subjects were trapped inside the vehicle and mutual aid was requested from Greenville Township Rescue and Arcanum Fire.

Preliminary investigation revealed that a 1994 Pontiac Bonneville, driven by Austin Meade (16) of Greenville, was eastbound on Byrket Rd. and appeared to get off the right side of the road and when Meade tried to steer back on to the road he lost control causing the vehicle to slide off the right side of the road and overturn. Meades vehicle rolled several times and came to final rest in a wooded area on its top.

Meade had two passenger’s in the vehicle with him, being Justice Meade (16) of Greenville and Brian Mendenhall (15) of Greenville. All three juveniles were trapped inside the vehicle. Both Meade subjects and Mendenhall all succumbed to their injuries and were pronounced dead at the scene. CareFlight was initially dispatched to the accident scene, but was cancelled due to the injuries.

It appears that speed is possibly a factor in this accident. This accident remains under investigation by the Darke County Sheriff’s Office and Darke County Coroner’s Office. This accident marks Darke Counties 14th fatal traffic crash with a total of 16 people killed on Darke County roadways in 2012.

Arcanum – On October 27, 2012 at approximately 1:27 p.m. Darke County Deputies, along with New Madison Fire and Tri-Village Rescue, were dispatched to US127 and SR 503 in reference to a two vehicle injury accident involving a semi and a car. Mutaul aid from Arcanum Fire and Rescue were also dispatched to the scene.

Preliminary investigation revealed that a 2007 Chevy Malibu, driven by Lisa A. Wright (43) of Arcanum, was southbound on SR503. Wright failed to stop at the stop sign at the intersection of US127 and struck a 2009 International semi, driven by Don A. Bailey (43) of Tallahassee, FL, which was northbound on US127. Wright’s vehicle struck the front of the semi trailer and was caught underneath the trailer when it was then flipped off the northeast corner of the intersection. Wright was ejected from her vehicle and her passenger, Daryn Wright (13) of Arcanum, was trapped inside the over turned vehicle. Daryn Wright was extricated and treated by Tri-Village Rescue, along with New Madison Fire and Arcanum Fire. Daryn Wright was then transported by CareFlight to Dayton Children’s Hospital, where he is listed in fair condition. Lisa Wright succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Bailey was also treated by Tri-Village rescue and refused treatment.

This accident remains under investigation by the Darke County Sheriff’s Office and the Darke County Coroner’s Office.

Ansonia – On October 27, 2012 at approximately 5:29 a.m. Darke County Deputies, along with Ansonia Fire and Rescue, were dispatched to US127 and SR47 in reference to a two vehicle injury accident. Mutual aid was also requested from Versailles Fire and Rescue.

Preliminary investigation revealed that a 2002 Jeep Wrangler, driven by Robert H. Pierce (31) of Ansonia, was eastbound on SR47. Pierce failed to stop at the stop sign at the intersection of US127 and struck a 2000 Chevy Prizm, driven by Joseph H. Winhoven (50) of Greenville, that was northbound on US127. Winhoven and Pierce’s vehicles both went off the northeast corner of the intersection. Both vehicles did overturn and came to rest in a parking lot on the northeast corner of the intersection.

Pierce was treated by Ansonia Rescue and was transported to Wayne Hospital. Winhoven was trapped inside his vehicle and succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Pierce’s condition is unknown at this time. This accident remains under investigation by the Darke County Sheriff’s Office and the Darke County Coroner’s Office. After the investigation is completed this report will be referred to the Darke County Prosecutor’s Office for filing of charges.

We have Skipper and Scooter at the Darke County Animal Shelter. They are a male and a female Pug/Corgi mix. They are around 2 years old and have short hair. They are sweet little dogs and love to play. They were found in the Greenville area and are looking for new homes. They will remain small and will make wonderful companions.

We have Molly at the Darke County Animal Shelter. She is a 1-½ year old Great Pyrenees/Lab mix. She is mostly white with medium length hair. She has been spayed is current on her shots and is very friendly. She is a big girl and loves to play. She will make a super companion and lifelong friend. We also have her brother Max.

We also have a Great Pyrenees, a Chocolate Lab, a Border Collie mix, a Pug, a Jack Russell mix, a 9-week-old lab mix puppy and numerous other dogs. We also have cats and kittens for adoption. The Shelter hours are 8am till 4:30pm Monday-Friday and 9:00 till noon on Saturday. The Shelter is located at 5066 County Home Road in Greenville, and the phone number is 547-1645.

Santa Claus will be coming to Wal-Mart in Greenville on Saturday, November 17th from 10am till 2pm. The Darke County Friends of the Shelter will be offering your chance to get you companion animal’s picture taken with Santa Claus. This is a fundraiser for the "Friends of the Shelter". Pictures will be $3.00 and they will make wonderful Christmas cards. It will be held in the Garden Center. You can bring your children to get their pictures taken also. You can call the Shelter for more details.

ALL DOGS OVER 3 MONTHS OF AGE MUST HAVE A LICENSE. For more information you can contact the Animal Shelter at 937-547-1645. To see the dogs we have, go to our web site at www.darkecountyanimalshelter.com.

On October 23, the Darke County Juvenile Court sponsored its second annual Juvenile Justice Issues Seminar at the Greenville Elks Lodge. The seminar was attended by 80 local law enforcement, service providing agencies, and school officials. The topics for the seminar included local drug abuse issues, human trafficking, and school shooters.

Chief Deputy Mark Whittaker of the Darke County Sheriff Department presented on local current trends regarding drug abuse and drug trafficking. Chief Deputy Whittaker outlined how not just street drugs are at risk for abuse but also medications that are found in a lot of medicine cabinets. Chief Deputy Whittaker encouraged the attendees to be work cooperatively within our agencies and schools to find help for those struggling with drugs.

Lisa Norris of Arcanum shared the story of her son, and how he lost his life in a drug related shooting in May 2007. Ms. Norris presented a firsthand account as to the dangers of drug abuse on local families. She talked about the effects of her son’s death and the two different trials that went on before her son’s killer was convicted. Ms. Norris said she still struggles with know whether what she did to help her son was the right thing, but feels Josh’s story shows that drugs can effect families no matter where they live.

Dr. Mark Ensalaco from the University of Dayton presented on the topic of human trafficking and how this leads to other criminal behaviors as a byproduct. Dr. Ensalaco identified how certain segments of the populations may be at more risk to be involved in or a victim of human trafficking. Dr. Ensalaco outlined a number of “red flag” behaviors for all people to be aware of that may indicate a person is being held against their will or having their freedom deprived. Dr. Ensalaco encouraged the seminar attendees to pay attention to their instincts and closely look at situations where one person appears to have a great deal of control over another.

Officer James Burke of the Ohio Peace Officers Training Academy (OPOTA) presented the Five Phases of the Active School Shooters as developed by Dan Marcou. Officer Burke showed the attendees how the Columbine and Virginia Tech School shooters left obvious signs as to what they were planning to do and how the signs were missed or misinterpreted by school or university personnel. Officer Burke encouraged the crowd to listen to the students, pay attention to what they say, and to intervene early.
The Darke County Juvenile Court would like to thank all of those that attended the seminar and our presenters.

National Family Literacy Day is November 1st. To commemorate that day, the Fort GreeneVille Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution would like to invite children, ages 4-8 years old, to attend a story hour at the Greenville Public Library on Thursday, November 1st at 5:00 pm. This year there will be stories from the Big Comfy Couch television show.

The Daughters of the American Revolution is committed to literacy promotion by publicizing the importance of literacy at all ages. Education is one of the cornerstones of the National Society of the DAR. Across the country, Daughters are meeting the challenge and helping those with significant literacy needs to learn to read, to gain self respect and confidence, and to reach life goals that otherwise would not be obtainable. Hope we see you there!!

State Senator Bill Beagle (R - Tipp City) toured Greenville Career Technical Center on Tuesday, October 23, 2012. Senator Beagle serves on Governor John Kasich's Executive Workforce Board. As a member of the panel, Beagle plays a role in advising the Governor and the Office of Workforce Transformation regarding the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of Ohio's workforce system. During the visit, Senator Beagle was updated on Darke County Workforce Development efforts at the Greenville Career Tech Center. Senator Beagle also took a tour of the Greenville Career Tech Center and visited with students and staff. Med Tech Student Darpan Kaur commented: "It was a really exciting experience because you could tell how intrigued he was by what we had to say about each of our programs, and it means a lot to know that he cares about our future." Engineering Student Lane Flora added: "It was really cool that we were able to show him our gravitational water vortex project and talk to him about our Engineering Program." Darpan Kaur added: "Having the opportunity to be in Career Tech Education (Med Tech Program) has helped me know what I want to do with my life."

Friday, October 26, 2012

On October 26, 2012 at approximately 1013 AM. Darke County Deputies along with Osgood Rescue and Osgood Fire were dispatched to State Route 705 near Coble Road in reference to an injury accident.

Preliminary investigation revealed a 2005 Chevy Pickup Truck driven by Greg Langenkamp, 32, of Osgood was traveling Westbound on State Route 705, when he lost control of his vehicle after passing another westbound vehicle on a curve. Mr. Langenkamp over corrected, traveling off the North side of the roadway causing his vehicle to over turn several times into a field.

Living with diabetes or knowing you are at risk is not easy. It’s common to feel overwhelmed, sad or angry – especially if you are struggling to make positive lifestyle changes that just don’t seem to stick for very long.

Even if you know what to do to improve your health, it is figuring out how to do it and fitting it into your daily routine that can present the biggest challenges.

Making changes step by step – such as losing a small amount of weight and becoming more active – can go a long way toward helping you prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. Losing even 10 to 15 pounds – if you weigh 200 pounds – can make a big difference in helping you prevent type 2 diabetes. If you have diabetes, making similar types of changes can help you reach your blood sugar (glucose) and blood pressure goals to prevent diabetes-related health problems.

Getting Started

So how do you get started making changes in how you care for your health? It’s all a matter of trying and learning. It’s about choosing a goal and working toward it. Making a plan and taking the first step will help you reach your goal.

Ask yourself what is hard about caring for your diabetes and why it is important to make the change. You may find it hard to be active. You may want to increase your exercise since increasing activity will help to lower your blood glucose level, help with weight loss, and lower your cholesterol level.

Ask what barriers have prevented you from making the change. Often we feel that we do not have enough time to exercise. Start out slowly and gradually increase your exercise. You can also breakdown your exercise into 10 minutes time frames that are completed three times throughout the day. Now set a realist goal that you would like to start. For example “I will start walking ten minutes after lunch at least four days a week”.

Determine what you need to make the change and possible barriers you may encounter. You may find adding exercise to your calendar will help you set certain days of the week that you will exercise. Barriers may include the weather- too hot, too cold, rainy, and snowing. Determine activities you can do indoors when these weather situations occur.

Friday, November 2, 2012
Versailles High School
11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Sponsored by: Versailles High School Student Council
All students that register to donate will receive a Free Special High School Lanyard!
Make Sure To Schedule Your Appointment Soon!
Open to the Faculty and Students!

Please note date of blood drive moved up 1 week from original date printed on white mobile schedule card. Drive was moved from November 16 to Friday, November 9.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Franklin Monroe High School
8691 Oakes Road, Pitsburg
9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Sponsored by: Franklin Monroe High School National Honor Society
All Students that register to donate will receive A Free Special High School Lanyard!
Everyone from the community that registers to donate will receive a
Free “Get in the Game” T-Shirt
Open to the Community and Students!
Appointments Encouraged!

Edison will host the National Save A Life Tour to help spread the word about the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol on November 6, 2012, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Pavilion at the Piqua Campus. The traveling program, now in its fifth year, utilizes an “in-your-face” approach to get its message across with a driving simulator that creates the effects of driving while impaired.

Edison has partnered with Kramer Edu-tainment and FAAC, Inc. to bring this truly intense, one of a kind driving simulation to campus. The experience offers a sobering first-hand look at the devastating effects of driving under the influence of alcohol in an effort to raise awareness on an epidemic that accounts for nearly one-third of all traffic-related deaths in the United States according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention web site.

The life-like simulation incorporates the same technology that is currently being used to train our nation's top military and law enforcement institutions. The level of impairment is based upon nationally recognized formulas of body weight and number of drinks.

Participants will drive in a totally interactive environment with a true 225 degree field of vision, force feedback steering, seat movement, digitally recorded/produced sounds, and fully textured 3-D graphics with shading and lighting effects where no two drives are the same. The driver spontaneously determines the route in more than 100 miles of roadway, surrounded by unpredictable traffic and randomly selected environmental settings for time of day and weather conditions.

Ladies Night will be held at Romer’s on November 3, 2012 from 4-8 p.m. There will be a catered meal, entertainment, chair massages, a raffle, etc.

The monies raised from this event will be donated to the Cancer Association of Darke County to help local cancer patients. In return for the generosity of the ladies, there will be many door prizes given such as a coffee pot, a $50 gift card from Pamela’s, a $50 gift card for McBo’s Bowling Alley, flower center pieces, a wine gift basket and many more nice gifts.

Don’t miss out on this fun time with the staff of All About You Therapeutic Massage.

Tickets are only $45 or 2/$80 for this full evening of fun, food, entertainment and prizes. Credit cards are accepted.

Call now or pick up your ticket, and why not treat a friend to an evening of being pampered as well?

You can get your tickets at All About You, Brenda’s Beanery, Pamela’s, Uniques or the Cancer association. For questions, call All About You at 937-202-4104 or the Cancer Association at 548-9960 and speak with Christine.

The difficult year continues for Darke County farmers. Rain events throughout the county last week and the northern part of the county this week are making it difficult for farmers to complete a harvest that was once thought to be the earliest completed in many years.

It does appear that 80% of the soybeans have been harvested, a higher percent to the south and less to the north. Corn is around 60% harvested.

Laura Lindsey, OSU Extension and Professor, reported this week in the C.O.R.N. Newsletter that the best time to plant winter wheat is 10 days after the fly-free-safe date for Hessian fly, September 29 in Darke County. She reports that all “Ohio counties are now well past the 10-day window for optimum wheat planting. Wheat fall growth is reduced when planting is delayed resulting in reduced winter hardiness. However, if freezing weather does not occur until late November or early December, wheat planted up to three weeks after the fly-free-safe date can achieve the same yield as wheat planted within 10 days of the fly-free-safe date. If wheat is planted three to four weeks after the fly-free-safe date (which is now for northern Ohio), it is recommended to increase seeding rates to 1.6-2.0 million seeds per acre or 24-30 seeds per foot of row.”

Last week’s OSU Extension Beef Newsletter calls on cattlemen to complete a key management practice this fall. As calves are weaned this fall, cows should be pregnancy checked. With the drought this year, feed costs will be very high. It is not a good business decision to keep a cow on the farm, feeding her all fall and winter that is not going to calve next spring.

Dr. Les Anderson, Beef Extension Specialist, University of Kentucky reports “When it comes time to cull cows from your herd, pregnancy status is one of the first criteria that will determine whether a cow stays in the country or goes to town.”

According to the results of a survey conducted by the National Animal Health Monitoring System, fewer than 20 percent of beef cow calf producers used pregnancy testing or palpation in their herd. However, the benefits of this practice are fairly simple to realize. First of all, pregnancy diagnosis allows producers to identify "open" or nonpregnant cows. Compare the roughly $5 per head cost of a pregnancy exam with the $100-200 per head cost of hay alone to feed an open cow through the winter. It's easy to see that pregnancy testing quickly pays for itself.

For more information visit the Darke County OSU Extension web site at http://darke.osu.edu, the OSU Extension Darke County Facebook page or contact Sam Custer, at 937.548.5215.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Update: WHIO has added their video report from this evening on Thursday afternoon's robbery. It should be noted (as is in the official release from GPD, that the suspects were beleived to have fled in a late 90s Gold Jeep Cheroke, rather than the vehicle previously described. Click on the image below to watch the video.

Original Post: WHIOtv.com is reporting that The Flower Patch on Rhoades Avenue in Greenville was robbed at gunpoint this afternoon.

Police are looking for information and for suspects described as...

"A white man in his mid-20s with longer blonde hair, wearing a black cap witha white letter on it. he is also wearing jeans. He may be 5’7” to 5’9” tall.

The suspect was possibly in am older model pickup truck, dark blue in color. It has a ladder and tools in the rear.

Police said a second suspect waited outside, and is described as a white man with tattoos."

On Thursday, October 25, 2012 at approximately 12:13 p.m. The Flower Patch located at 104 Rhoades Ave. in Greenville was robbed at gun point. The suspects fled the scene in a late 90’s gold Jeep Cherokee. Suspects are two white males; the first suspect was wearing jeans and black shirt with a black ball type hat with one white letter on it. He is in his mid 20’s, 5’7” – 5’9” tall with sandy blonde hair over his ears and down to his neck. Second suspect is of stocky build, dark hair and unshaven, he is 5’6” - 5’7” tall, his arms are covered in tattoos.

The Greenville Public Library will be hosting a “movie matinee” on Friday, November 2nd, as its First Friday event. The popular film The Help will start at 2:00 p.m. in the upstairs Meeting Room. Since seating is limited, please pick up a free ticket at the Circulation Desk. And feel free to bring your own snacks!

This event is possible due to a new theater system that was recently installed in the Meeting Room, thanks to generous gifts from The Friends of the Library and John & Beth Vehre. The idea for such a system was part of the original plans of the expansion and renovation project in 2005. The Library’s very grateful for the donations that made this idea a reality.

Reuben Kennet, IT Tech, is seen standing in front of the Sharp “Aquas” 80 inch flat screen TV. He explains that a “sound bar” along the bottom of the screen provides a surround-sound effect without the need for a lot of speakers in the room. The equipment seen on a shelf under the screen is a Blu-ray player and a DVD player.

This new system is available to anyone who uses the Meeting Room and can be plugged into any laptop that has a HDMI port. The Library will be using it for Teen and Family programs as well as its own seminars. Librarian Deb Cameron has plans to show additional films with the theme “Books Made Into Movies” - so stay tuned for upcoming announcements!

Recently the Children’s Theatre Club announced the winner of its bicycle raffle. Ray Orth’s name was drawn during the final performance of the club’s production of Seussical the Musical. The Lowrider style bicycle was donated by Countryside Bike Shop, and proceeds from the raffle went to assist the organization cover cost of its theatre productions. Mr. Orth was surprised to be the winner and currently has no real plans to ride the bicycle, but is planning to display it in his work shop.

Children’s Theatre Club is a non-profit organization that offers theatre performance opportunities for area youth. The organization is open to children in grades kindergarten thru 12th grade. The club is currently working on its next production Children’s Letter’s To God.

Children’s Letters to God is a touching and sometimes funny story that looks at life through the eyes of children. When this group of young people have questions they can’t answer… such as “Why did my turtle die?” ”Why do my feet stink?” or “Why does this boy not like me?” They turn to the one person who can answer their questions. Dealing in such themes as Bullying, Divorce, and Sibling Relationships, this musical offers an entertaining look at life for people of all ages.

EUM Church is offering an all new approach to serving families in need at Christmas this year. Star Seekers EUM Christmas Shop will be a place for parents to purchase gifts at a reduced price. Tickets will be for sale in three price levels: gold ($3), frankincense ($2) and myrrh ($1). Parents may choose to purchase a gift from one, two or all three levels. The shop will be set up at EUM Worship Center and offer a time of fellowship along with the shopping experience.

To be eligible to shop at Star Seekers, the family must have children age birth through 12 years old and fall into the income guidelines listed on the application.

Applications for Star Seekers must be submitted by November 1 to the EUM Church office at 111 Devor Street, Greenville, Oh. Applications are available at the EUM Church office as well as many social service agencies and online at www.eumchurch.org/serving-others/in-the-community.” Please contact any family you know who may be interested in shopping at the Star Seekers EUM Christmas Shop and / or apply if you are eligible.

Monetary donations are being accepted at EUM Church to help purchase gifts. If a family is unable to purchase tickets, they will be given the opportunity to help serve in setting up the shop.

Our goal at Star Seekers EUM Christmas Shop is to partner with families and to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. For more information on Star Seekers, please call Paula Huntington at 937-996-3985 or Erin Miley at 937-548-7613.

Star Seekers EUM Christmas Shop is a ministry of EUM Church. Our worship services are Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday at 8:15, 9:45, and 11:15 a.m. at our Worship Center located at 1451 Sater Street (corner of Sater and Sebring-Warner Road) in Greenville, OH. The Downtown Campus, 111 Devor Street, houses our offices and preschool. For more information, go to www.eumchurch.org or call 548-3211.

Mike Pressnall, Executive Director of Wayne Hospital
Foundation, with Julie Strait of Darke County Center for the Arts

Wayne Hospital’s recent donation to Darke County Center for the Arts will sponsor the local arts council’s Family Theatre Series. “Wayne Hospital has been a wonderful supporter of the arts for children and families in our community for many years; we greatly appreciate their sponsorship which enables DCCA to bring professional theatre groups to St. Clair Memorial Hall at an affordable ticket cost,” said DCCA Director Julie Strait.

According to Strait, the goal of DCCA’s Family Theatre Series is to encourage cultural enrichment in our community, inspiring the imaginations of the young and young at heart, and encouraging the expression of creativity. The series attracts a wide-ranging audience that includes many preschool children enjoying their first theater experience, as well as senior citizens who enjoy the shows’ strong depiction of traditional values.

Performance times are scheduled to fit conveniently into most schedules at 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoons. Most of the productions are original musicals based on popular tales adapted from current and classic children’s literature.

This season’s Family Theatre Series will open December 2 with TheatreworksUSA’s presentation of If You Give A Mouse A Cookie and other storybooks. Imaginative adaptations of Guess How Much I Love You and I Love My Little Storybook will be presented by Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia on Janaury 27, 2013. American Family Theater’s musical rendition of Sleeping Beauty will end the series on April 24, 2013.

Tickets to the series, including all three shows, are only $12. Individual performances are $5 per ticket; all seats are general admission. Tickets are available at the DCCA office located on the third floor of the Greenville Public Library, by calling DCCA at (937) 547-0908 or online at www.centerforarts.net

Sue has been employed by Kaup Pharmacy since graduating as a Registered Pharmacist from Ohio Northern University in 1990 with a Bachelor of Pharmacy Science Degree. She began specializing in Bio-Identical Hormone Restoration Therapy compounding in 1995. Sue has given many BHRT presentations in different locations in West Central Ohio including a one-day BHRT Conferences held at Ohio Northern University in 2003. She attends PCCA conference, yearly, and she is a member of the Ohio Pharmacy Association.

Sue and her husband, Larry, are proud parents of six children ages 3-19.

She also enjoys being a Religion instructor for Mary Help of Christians Church for the past seven years. Their leisure activities center around family oriented events, such as volleyball, basketball, baseball, and soccer games. When she finds time, Sue enjoys reading, traveling, and horseback riding.

Cancer patients, survivors and family and friends are invited to attend this event. Light refreshments are always provided.

The Cancer Association of Darke County is local and independent of other cancer groups. They partner with United Way.

Call the office and speak with Christine Yount, Executive Director, if you have questions regarding the group or the association in general.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

October in Darke County might be the prettiest time of the year. The trees are in full color, and in the mornings, the sun on the fields and foliage is spectacular. We are lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the State. October also brings the cool temperatures of Fall, High School football in full swing, and of course, Halloween. As the year winds down, the Commissioners are wrapping up what we believe to be a great year for Darke County.

On the local front, we have accomplished quite a bit of maintenance this year. As of now we have completed the new roofs on Edison State, the Court House, and done some work on the Commissioner’s Office roof. We had to refurbish the bathrooms in the Commissioner’s Office because of a leaky toilet, but that was accomplished quickly by the maintenance crew. The walls on the visitation house have finally been fixed, and a lot of painting and woodwork has been done. On October 21st, Western Ohio Asphalt out of Versailles sealed and striped the parking lot behind the Commissioner’s Office. We also have done some minor landscaping around the courthouse and our office. One of the bigger projects that has needed to be done has finally been accomplished, that of putting new boilers in the Garst Avenue Government Building. We replaced a boiler that was about 60 years old with 2 new high-efficiency boilers. Slagle Mechanical got the bid for that work, and it was completed the week of October 15th. Service Tech Corp. got the duct work clean at the Sheriff’s Office, something that had not been done since the building was built. We have also approved new video cameras from Sound Tech Corporation for the Sheriff’s Office, these have needed replaced for several years, and have replaced several of the Sheriff’s cruisers this year also. As revenues rise slowly, we will continue to spend your money as wisely as we can, and to keep your public buildings serviceable for years to come.

Next month we will start appropriations meetings with our Elected Officials. As of now, we will be holding the line for all offices as we take a wait-and–see approach to revenues. The latest report we have on Casino revenues indicates that we can anticipate a 20% to 25% decrease from forecasted income. This is the reason the Auditor and the Commissioners are not counting on this revenue as it is too volatile to predict at this time. Our Elected Officials continue to do a tremendous job with limited funds and with a minimum of personnel. Please tell them how much you appreciate all their efforts, as we in the Commissioner’s Office certainly do.

Winner's has launched a brand new website that, per an email from the company, includes "Online ordering, online booking for harvesting your cattle/hogs, recipes, more media content, daily farm market stock quotes and much more!"

The Candidates' Forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Darke County will be broadcast in its entirety on YouTube.com

If you were unable to attend the Candidates’ Night, please be sure go online to see the program. It lasts 1 hour and 30 minutes. Click here to watch it at YouTube or go to www.youtube.com and in the search bar put in: Darke County League of Women Voters Fall 2012 Candidates Night to access it. (DJ Note: I've embedded it at the top of this post.)

The event begins with very brief introductions by unopposed Darke County candidates on the General Election ballot who were in attendance. Then the forum begins with the Candidates for 2nd district Court of Appeals (vote for one), Carley Ingram and Jeffrey M. Welbaum. Following that, the candidates for the 80th House District for State Representative participated in the Forum (vote for one), Richard N. Adams ( R) or Dave W. Fisher (D). The portion of the Forum for the 84th House District (vote for one) with Ronald L. Hammons (D) and Jim Buchy (R ) was not held due to a late cancellation due to illness by Mr. Hammons.

The evening concludes with two non-League members Carl Jones and Alex Warner reading the explanation of the two State Issues and the pros and cons of those issues.

Forum candidates were given two minute introductory speeches. Following that, they answered questions submitted by the audience and discussed issues. They concluded with a one minute statement.

It is hoped that when Greenville Public Access Television (GPAT), Channel 5 receives a long awaited electrical part that the program will also be broadcast there. Watch GPAT for scheduled times prior to Election Day, if and when the repair has been completed.

The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan political organization with the major purpose being to inform voters about the candidates and issues. Special thanks to Nick Schmidt of Schmidt Photography for videotaping the evening, Todd Kaiser from Bach to Rock for the sound system and for setting up the equipment, to the American Legion for use of their facility and to Jon McGreevey of Greenville Schools for his help with YouTube. VOTE, NOVEMBER 6.

The diverse work of collagist Marsha Pippenger will be on display at historic Bear's Mill through Sunday, November 25. The exhibit opens Friday, October 26 with a reception that offers light appetizers and wine from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. “An art form which has been around for centuries, collage is created when an artist glues paper and other materials to a rigid support; Marsha's work could be called 'paper paintings,' as she uses paper instead of paints to fill her colorful canvases,” explained Bear's Mill retail manager and gallery coordinator Julie Clark.

Marsha Pippenger says that creating art is stimulating, enriching and fun, and covers the spectrum of emotions and experiences; her work communicates the joy she finds in that creation. The show at Bear's Mill will feature her “Wall Series,” two sets of images in different media: collage on canvas and colored pencil on Bristol board. The series was inspired when the Dayton resident was asked to design a prayer wall, which stimulated thought about walls in general and the colors of certain emotions and prayers. “I hope that one of these colored walls will speak to you of hope, peace, joy or compassion,” says the Kennedy Center trained artist and educator.

According to Ms. Clark, Pippenger's art reflects the collagist's philosophy that art is essential to the world, recording history and reminding humans of their humanity. “Marsha believes that art feeds and fills the soul; her unique, imaginative work beautifully expresses those tenets,” Ms. Clark stated.

“Art At the Mill” has received funding from the Ami McClurkin Community Fund, held by the HOPE Foundation of Darke County, and also receives support from Darke County Endowment for the Arts. The art exhibit is on view during regular Mill store hours, 11 a.m. till 5 p.m. daily. Historic Bear's Mill is operated by Friends of Bear's Mill, a non-profit organization, and is located at 6450 Arcanum-Bear's Mill Road about 5 miles east of Greenville. For more information, contact Bear's Mill at 937-548-5112 or www.bearsmill.com.

On Sunday October 28th Trinity will be making a “Road Trip”. That’s right Trinity will be joining its sister church, Friedens to worship together and to commemorate the beginning of the great Reformation.

The combine service will begin at the 10:00 a.m. All are invited to join us for worship and in commemoration of the Protestant church. You are encouraged to wear the color red to remember the Martyrs of the faith.

Pastor Bob Akins will be sharing inspiring words from God in both the children’s message and the adult sermon. We will be singing the traditional hymns of Reformation, while the Trinity choir will provide special music, all to help enhance this special day.

Following the worship, join us for Fellowship and in sharing a simple soup & sandwich luncheon, with new & old friends alike.

There will be no Christian Education this Sunday only and this also will be the only Worship service for both Congregations.

Why not come and find out what Lutherans believe for yourself. You and your family are most welcome.

On November 4th we will return to our own Congregations and will be celebrating All Saints Day. Mark your calendar now for this event and plan to join come any Sunday where you are sure to be warmly welcomed and filled with God’s spirit as you leave!

Friedens is located five miles southeast of Versailles. Take Versailles Southeastern Road till it T’s with the Versailles Road and turn left. Proceed two miles to the church is on the right.

UPDATE: WHIOtv.com now has a video of the story available. Click on the image below to watch it.

Monue

Original Post: WHIOtv.com is reporting that a woman buried her newborn after believing it to be stillborn, eventually moving the remains near a bridge.

Ana Guadalupe Monue, 28, of Union City, Indiana, is being held on a charge of neglect of a dependent causing death, a felony.

Officers were alerted of the situation yesterday, and the event is believed to have happened approximately 3 months ago. They were able to locate what they believe to the remains of an infant, but decomposition made confirmation difficult.

WHIO reports that "a preliminary cause of death may not be available until later this week."

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Thanks to your wonderful “for sale” and “garage sale” section. I have used both successfully. Keep up the great reporting.

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We understand your site really has the best coverage for our county.

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Your web site is such a benefit to the community.

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I have truly enjoyed keeping up with the Darke County news, but the constant reporting on conservative causes is totally inappropriate.

Darke Journal is sure on top of everything.

I really appreciate you running and bumping the garage sale ad over the last few days. My son and I had a really successful sale, and your site was a big help in making that happen (many people told us that they heard about it through DJ).

I am a huge fan of your website. It brings more useful information than the newspaper does and even though I am attending college and am away from home, I still check out your website about once a day to keep up on local events.

I just love your website. It's better than any newspaper or TV program. Keep up the good work.

I like the DJ because it just gives the facts pure and simple. I also like to read what the readers think. You keep up the good work & you will grow!

I am so glad that I found this site. It is so nice to have such an upbeat & unbiased Darke County news. I look forward to checking it each day. I just found it this month. Plus, I can feel free to voice my concerns on issues. Great web site!

When I turn on my computer in the morning, I check the weather and Darke Journal before anything else. Thank you for the pix & info on this site. It's nice to know what's going on in our great Darke County.

You are doing a great service and this is a great media outlet!

It just gets better and better! Truly, the 'mix' is what makes it so good for all readers.

DJ = nice guy, but should relinquish his website duties.

This is a wonderful site! I am so glad there is a place in this community where people can voice their opinion about issues. In the past for many years this community seems to be run by so called political people with others hiding in the brush waiting to inform their leaders of those who disagree with an issue on hand, just so they can point them out and try to ruin their life. Again I am so glad finally, an average Joe can make an Anonymous posted opinion and not fear that they will be pointed at or looked down for stating how they feel. Thank you D. J.

It’s better than most of the media available in and around Darke County.

The web site has had steadily increasing viewership over the last year or two and, at least in my opinion, has become a major player in getting news and commentary to Darke Countians.